


This Space is Our Place

by heartfullofyeo (scenarios)



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternative Universe - College, JUST VERY SOFT BOYS TRYING TO MAKE DO AND CONFESS, Like, M/M, Shh, def not beta'd, jongho figuring out his feelings are very Real soft, maybe woo cries but who knows haha, oof, they kiss, this is soft soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 07:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21157607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scenarios/pseuds/heartfullofyeo
Summary: Jongho has a whole bag of feelings for Wooyoung, and he doesn't know what to do with them. What he does know, though, is that he wants to see him smile forever. He wants to be the only one Wooyoung directs his brightest smiles at, and Jongho doesn't knowwhy. Except he does know why.It's because he's in love with Wooyoung.





	This Space is Our Place

**Author's Note:**

> title is inspired by [wait wait wait](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anKcvcmzhrs) by cai xukun

Jongho never understood what falling in love meant until Wooyoung. 

The older man catapulted himself quite literally into his life one day and just never left. Jongho thanks his lucky stars everyday that Wooyoung decided to stay. “Don’t be so silly Jongho,” is what Wooyoung would tell him, bright smile on his face, loud voice accompanying it as he would cling onto an arm, “you’re my friend,” would follow afterwards. But god does Jongho want to be _more_. 

Except maybe he’s coming to terms about how he feels too because there has never been another that caused Jongho’s head to turn. No one quite does it like Wooyoung does—with his magnetic smile and his aura that draws you in. His eyes that are expressive, holding all the emotions that choke Jongho up within them. The kindness Jongho never expected, never thought possible, is endless within Wooyoung who is like an oasis, and Jongho is the dying thing in need of a miracle. Point is he could go on and on and on about Wooyoung, but Jongho wouldn’t have enough words to. Wouldn’t have the _right_ words that would be able to capture the experience that is Jung Wooyoung. So Jongho starts and ends it simply. 

He is in love with Jung Wooyoung. 

“Jongho!” A familiar, high-pitched voice rings out from across the quad. Jongho sighs. There is only one person who would be shameless enough to yell his name in a sea of bumbling students. Turning around, he braces himself for contact, easily standing tall when a force of nature runs right into him. 

“Jesus, Wooyoung, would it kill you to greet me normally for one?” He huffs out at the blond blob clinging onto him. Jongho tries to keep the affection from his voice. He fails, and his face is suddenly a lot warmer than it was before. 

Giggling, Wooyoung turns his face up to Jongho’s. “I could.” He states, obviously not planning on changing how he greets Jongho ever. “Hey, you wanna hang out tonight? Just you and me like before?”

He’s lost for words. Wooyoung is known to spontaneously spring things onto people; Jongho has been the victim of this many, many times before. Not that them hanging out is a bad thing. Just, the two of them? Alone? Together? 

“Uh, yeah sure. Just us?” Jongho manages to not stutter. It isn’t weird; they’ve been friends for what feels for forever now, so he’s no stranger to the idea. Just … the budding thought that _maybe_ Jongho has feelings for Wooyoung is what makes him hesitate. 

“Yeah! And we can look at stars or something. I dunno. It’s just been awhile y’know?” 

Jongho smiles weakly, nodding along with Wooyoung’s suggestions. “Yeah, I’d love to. When?” 

“Eight?” 

“Sounds good.” It does not, in fact, sound good to Jongho but he isn’t about to let Wooyoung know that. 

“Great! Now, let’s get to class.” Wooyoung pulls Jongho along, holding his arm between his. They don’t have the same class but it’s in the same general direction. Jongho knows his schedule like the back of his hand, and Wooyoung his. 

Jongho lets him tug him wherever. He’s used to it by now. He just doesn’t know what to do. Jongho doesn’t want to ruin this friendship just because he couldn’t help his feelings. Wooyoung is too precious for him; and he will keep him in the dark as much as he possibly can. If he could lock his feelings away in an itty, bitty box, then Jongho will be set. Besides, Wooyoung deserves better than someone like him. Someone who doesn’t need Wooyoung to say how he feels. Someone who can read him easily like a book. Someone who won’t hesitate to showcase all their love and affection for Wooyoung. 

Someone who is everything Jongho isn’t. He can’t give the world to Wooyoung, but someone else can. He just knows it. 

“What do I do?” Trying very hard—and failing—to keep his cool has never been this hard, Jongho discovers. He looks over to a sitting Yeosang who calmly sips his coffee in the Starbucks they are currently situated in. Jongho may have told Wooyoung that Yeosang was helping him in a project after their classes were over. He tries not to let his mind linger on the way Wooyoung deflated from his usual energetic self as he realized Jongho had things to do. His bottom lip did that thing it always does when he’s disappointed and Jongho _swears_ his eyes didn’t stray once to it. 

“Okay,” he says. “I’ll wait for you—” 

“—No!” Jongho says, startling Wooyoung as it’s accidentally louder than he intends. “No,” he repeats, this time at a more respectable volume. “I—I don’t know how long it might take and I don’t want you waiting for like, two hours. I know you’ve been so tired lately so take this time to nap or something.” Jongho starts rambling. See, before the Discovery, he never experienced “rambling” before. Well, at least, never before _Wooyoung_. 

“Oh. You’re right,” Wooyoung smiles sheepishly at Jongho. “I practically fell asleep in ochem today. I’ll see you later then?” A rare look of uncertainty crosses over his face as he trails off. 

“Yeah. Now go sleep. I gotta meet up with Yeosang still.” 

“Okay. Have fun with Yeosang,” Wiggling his fingers as an imitation of a wave, Wooyoung walks away. Jongho waves weakly in return, his energy depleting out of him as the figure of Wooyoung grows tinier and tiner off into the distance. 

“Get yourself together, Choi Jongho,” he mutters to himself, trying to psyche himself up. “You can’t just,” he makes some weird gestures in the direction Wooyoung disappeared to. “Watch the love of your life walk away from you like that—wait, what?” An odd sound escapes him. Something that’s like a mix of a dying animal and a college student in denial of their growing student debt that will probably follow them to their graves. Except Jongho is kind of in denial of his feelings for Wooyoung. Running his hands through his hair, he can’t help but think that maybe he’s coming to accept his feelings for Wooyoung. Slowly. Doesn’t mean he has to acknowledge them, though. 

“—And that’s how we ended up here.” Jongho finally sits in the seat across from Yeosang. He’s been pacing since the first hour, nervous energy keeping him standing still. Pacing around helped relieve some of that energy. Just not all. You would think Jongho just had four shots of expresso with monster to chase it down but no—it’s just him being the awkward bean he is and panicking. 

Jongho watches as Yeosang takes a long sip of his hot coffee. Even after, when he puts his cup down, he says nothing and that makes an anxious bean like Jongho, well, anxious. But you have to give time for your Yeosang to give wisdom. Which is something like bribing him with coffee in order to help counsel Jongho with his love life. Why Yeosang, you may ask. Simple. Because Jongho can trust him the most to keep his mouth shut. 

“So,” Yeosang speaks, gracing Jongho with his Wise Words as his attention immediately focuses on Yeosang’s face. He’s got a pretty one too, but it’s not Wooyoung pretty. Because Jongho is in love with more than just how pretty Wooyoung is.

“Wooyoung, huh.” Jongho waits for more, but that’s it. In typical Yeosang fashion, he simultaneously calls Jongho stupid and brave all at once and with just three words. Very, very Yeosang. He slumps down, his head hitting the table with no remorse. So _this_ is how it feels to be giving the Yeosang treatment. 

Feeling like a fool, Jongho practically begs for him to continue. “Please, Yeosang. _Please_. What do I do? Do I—do I be like, ‘Hey Wooyoung funny thing haha I really like you no homo though but all the way homo’ or ‘Hey Wooyoung I kinda wanna bone you in a romantic kind of way but like, holding hands,’ or maybe I just don’t say anything. That sounds great. Amazing in fact. I’ll say nothing.” It all falls out of his mouth. His string of consciousness exits his mouth without warning and Jongho doesn’t know if the heat in his cheeks is due to the exertion of the words or due to embarrassment. Not like Yeosang hasn’t been subjected to this before—Jongho’s heard from Yeosang’s gripes about Yunho and San—but Yeosang has never had to deal with Jongho before. He’s sure he never expected to either. 

“I—yes, Wooyoung.” Defeat washes over him as he finally admits to it. Yes, he has admitted to it before, but that was in his head. Out loud, it just seems so … final. Like it’s real. It _is_ real. Wooyoung is real. Jongho is real. His love for Wooyoung is real. 

Nodding right along, Yeosang seem to be gathering his thoughts in his head from his expression. Jongho thinks about how much easier it probably would have been if his crush was on Yeosang instead. But he finds it hard to replace explosive laughter and touchiness with quiet smiles and amused eyes. Besides, he can’t fall in love with Yeosang. He’s got that other guy hanging around him. Seong-something. And despite all his vehement “we’re just friends,” Jongho knows better. He’s got a pair of fully functioning eyes, you see. 

“What made you finally realize you’re in love with him,” 

Jongho splutters. Where’s the wisdom San told him about? “What do you mean ‘finally.’ I never—we—he—amazing,” he finally finds a word to settle on, his traitorous mouth bringing Jongho back to actively think about Wooyoung. Not that he isn’t the current topic in discussion, but Jongho tries not to think about how much he’d like kiss Wooyoung right now. 

“He’s just, y’know,” more ambiguous hand waving in the air from Jongho. Yeosang hums right along with Jongho. It’s like he can read Jongho’s mind. 

“Wooyoung is amazing,” and Jongho feels like something of a failure at being unable to conjure up the right words to describe him. There isn’t a word out there that could perfectly capture the essence of Wooyoung much less express Jongho’s feelings about him. 

Yeosang agrees with him. Wooyoung is indeed a force of nature bearing its will upon them and they can’t do anything else but accept it. 

Placing a hand on his arm to try and calm his nerves, Yeosang smiles at him. It’s one of his quirk of the lips smiles that says he knows something you don’t. “If it’s Wooyoung, then you’ll be fine, Jongho. Have you ever thought about how Wooyoung feels? Trust your feelings.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Instead of answering Jongho, Yeosang smiles instead. “It’s Wooyoung.” He says it like it’s the answer to all of Jongho’s problems, and maybe it is but Jongho doesn’t understand. He wishes Yeosang wasn’t all ambiguous tones and mysterious smiles.

“I mean what I mean. It’s Wooyoung.” He says it as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. Well maybe it is to Yeosang, but to Jongho it’s not. It really, really isn’t as simple as he makes it out to be. 

The pit in Jongho’s stomach doesn’t get any better. In fact, it makes itself well-known, protesting to him to run away. To save himself the inevitable heartbreak he knows is bound to happen tonight. How does he know? He says so himself, therefore it must be correct. His brain successfully convinces him that today is the day he confesses. To get it out of the way before it festers into something even deeper. His stomach tells him to turn tail, and his heart. His heart says to follow his love. It hard to swallow. The pit of bitter self-deprecation that tells him he isn’t good enough for Wooyoung. 

Bringing up his hand to knock, it hesitates for just a split second, Jongho’s mind catching up to him. He knocks anyways, action processing faster than he could spare to think. He shouldn’t keep Wooyoung waiting too long, Jongho rationalizes within himself. If he “gets this over with” so to say, then he won’t have to worry for much longer. He’s caught nodding, agreeing with himself, by Wooyoung swinging the door open. Jongho’s heart promptly stops beating and his brain melts out of his ears at the appearance of Wooyoung. 

He’s there, in front of Jongho, in his sweater-clad glory. Soft face with deep sleep lines imprinted across his cheek, sleepy eyed and a bird’s nest of a hair. Jongho didn’t know he could fall any further in love with a person. The realization douses him like electrifyingly cold water. That it’s true. It’s just Wooyoung, and Jongho wants to do grossly sweet couple things with him like feed him pasta and take him out for bubble tea and steal breadsticks with. 

“Wooyoung. Hey, you have a little—did I wake you up?” Jongho never backpedaled so fast in his life. His entire existence feels like a cosmic joke the universe laid out just for him; and he’s the only one not laughing. 

“Yeah, sorry I slept longer than I—” Wooyoung yawns and does a tiny stretch. Jongho will deny anyone and anything that accuses his eyes for wandering down to that brief peek of tan. His eyes are solely on the eyes, face, cheeks, kissable lips. You get the point. “—than I intended. How was your thing with Yeosang?” He asks as Jongho follows him in. 

“It was good; informational, really. Some points were made.” Squinting, he stares at the pull-over Wooyoung wears. It looks oddly familiar with its highlighter orange shade along with words that are similar to his own favorite. It even has the same hole in its sleeve as Jongho’s that he hasn’t seen in three months.

Unable to control himself, Jongho tugs the back of the sweater. “Hey, is this mine?” He looks closer at it. It even has the same splatter of bleach on the ends that happened when he accidentally dropped the whole 12 ounces on the floor at 3 am in the morning. 

It was the only time he could spare from his busy schedule of studying, studying, and working. Come to think of it, the first person Jongho thought of then was Wooyoung, asking him if he could spare him the company. To his surprise, Wooyoung replied instantly, then, the bleach incident happened when Jongho placed it a little too close to the edge. He can still remember the jug of bleach falling to the ground, in slow motion, and exploding everywhere. The silence that followed after he and Wooyoung stared at each other in disbelief is funny, now that he thinks about it. Jongho clearly remembers how horrified he was with Wooyoung as they scrambled to clean up the bleach that seemed to have splattered everywhere, getting into crevices and reaching places he didn’t know could be reached. 

Thinking about it now, Wooyoung has always been there for Jongho. Even when he was the cause of the whole dorm building evacuating at 1 am—because Jongho is a mess—because the cookies he tried baking caught on fire in the oven. Jongho was mortified; Wooyoung laughed his ass off and he never wanted to shut someone up so quick. And that isn’t the worst part. The worst part is that Jongho thought, long before the present situation, that he wanted to shut Wooyoung up with a kiss on the lips. Jongho thinks that that is when he first realized he has less-than-platonic feelings for his dear friend. 

“Uh, yeah,” it’s the first time Jongho recalls Wooyoung looking so bashful. “I borrowed it. Is that okay?” 

“Oh, yeah of course. Go ahead.” His brain tries to process the information—Wooyoung wearing _his_ sweater—and fails. Jongho can’t. His mind is in overdrive, running amuck with useless questions like if Wooyoung borrows clothes from other people, or if he lets other people see him like this too. Jongho wants to know everything. He practically knows everything about Wooyoung already. He tells Jongho mostly everything, but he wants to know, wants to see what really makes Wooyoung tick, see what kind of functions makes him tock. Jongho wants to analyze this uniquely made star named Wooyoung and discover what he has hidden beneath the surface. Jongho wants Wooyoung as his. Wants to kiss him silly until he’s out of breath and be able to stare at him all he wants without having to hide away. 

What else is he supposed to do? Demand it back? Jongho finds he rather likes the way his sweater looks on Wooyoung. More softer than usual, makes it almost domestic feeling with how the sleeves bunch up at his wrists, just shy of hiding them, and how Wooyoung wears it like he _owns_ it. Jongho has never seen anything more attractive than this. 

Wooyoung exits his room, a beanie on top with another sweater on top of Jongho’s. Lifting up a bag of snacks, he opens it, showing Jongho its contents. 

“I love these!” Jongho exclaims, pointing to the bag of seasoned crackers. So, so bad for you but so, so good. 

Giggling with a “I know,” Wooyoung walks out, expecting Jongho to follow him, which Jongho does. He always follows Wooyoung. It just is. 

They walk side-by-side, arms brushing against each other as Wooyoung talks a mile-a-minute. Nothing has changed, but Jongho is relieved that Wooyoung does his usual with filling the silence. There’s an inner war going on inside of him, torn between telling Wooyoung and not telling him. On one hand, it would be so easy to grab Wooyoung by the hands and confess. But on the other, his nerves hold him back, the cowardly voice in the back of his head sniveling and telling him no. 

_”It’s just Wooyoung.”_ Yeosang’s voice floats back around. It boosts his confidence but minimally. Jongho isn’t ready to face Wooyoung so soon after truly realizing. Well, not like Jongho hasn’t known he’s been in love with Wooyoung since the past year, but details. 

They approach their Spot. Yes, capitalization included. It’s the Spot where they would hang out when they had more time. It’s a spot generally secluded, stairwells easily leading to it but people wander by rarely. It’s a park bench surrounded by nothing but other park benches, dimly lit by faraway street lamps and by the even further away moon. Here, it is a moment to themselves, with the buzz of the city faded into the background and the only sounds around are the ever so present croak of a cricket and the frantic beating of Jongho’s heart. 

Wooyoung pats the space next to him as he plops down on the bench, and Jongho’s struck by the way the pale moonlight reflects itself off his face. His body moves on autopilot, sitting next to Wooyoung, close but not close enough as Wooyoung scooches until their thighs, hips, sides meet. A gust of wind passes by, causing Wooyoung to shiver and huddle closer to Jongho.

“I told you to bring a thicker sweater,” Jongho wraps an arm around Wooyoung naturally. He doesn’t have to think about his action. He merely does it. It’s a dance he knows well enough by now. 

Laying his head on Jongho’s shoulder, Wooyoung says “I don’t need to if I have you,” as if it’s the most natural response he could have given him in the world. The words seize up in Jongho’s throat, his chest stuttering with the sudden difficulty to breathe. Jongho holds Wooyoung tighter to him, letting him rest on his shoulder. 

“Okay.” It’s the only response that doesn’t threaten to unleash all of his feelings. Jongho has so much he wants to say, he just doesn’t know where to _begin_. 

They sit there for some time in silence. Nervousness eventually building within Jongho. He’s afraid to step forward, to make the first move, and that’s what preoccupies his thoughts as he stares up at the distant stars and moon. He doesn’t even realize when Wooyoung takes his eyes off of the sky and onto his face, staring at him. 

“Hey,” Wooyoung speaks. It’s soft and grabs his attention instantly. Jongho looks down at Wooyoung and is blown away. His eyes seem to glitter, holding shining seas and twinkling nights in his eyes as he stares at him. He holds Jongho’s unoccupied hand, and it lays limp in his lap, neither curling around Wooyoung’s nor letting go. His hand twitches caught in-between wrenching his hand away and hold Wooyoung’s. They’re soft, slotted perfectly with his even when he doesn’t reciprocate the hand holding, and cold, so Jongho squeezes his hand overcame with wanting to keep Wooyoung warm. 

“Hey, Jongho,” it’s said almost inaudibly, like Wooyoung wants the wind to carry his words away before they reach his ears. Like he wants the delicate moonbeams to kidnap them, taking them away to give to the moon who’s forgotten how to love. It’s like he has something so terrible a secret kept and Jongho is the last person he wants to know. He will be the first any time Wooyoung is ready. Always. 

“I like you.” A simple phrase, and the world splits at the seams. Waves crash over him, flooding his ears with the roaring of water, and Jongho freezes still, his eyes widening. Wooyoung continues to stare at him, gaze unrelenting, trying to convey just how much he means it. The hand he holds begins to pull away, but Jongho snatches it back, holding on tighter than before.

“Wh-what do you mean?” Jongho asks. 

Shrugging as best as he can in his hold, Wooyoung repeats it. “I like you. A whole lot, Jongho.” 

“Oh,” is the most eloquent response Jongho can give, but something clicks into place, slotting comfortably like he’s been missing a piece that’s been preventing him from functioning as smoothly as he could potentially. 

A small giggle before “just ‘oh’? Where’s that confident Jongho gone?” He teases him, but Jongho hears the shake in his voice. That’s when it truly processes in him that Wooyoung is just as, if not more, than nervous. Wooyoung is afraid. Just like Jongho is. 

“I love you,” Jongho blurts out. Time freezes, fitting for a cold night such as this. He watches as Wooyoung’s face morphs from startled to shock to him trying to play it off. 

“I don’t want you trying to comfort me, Jonggie. It’s okay, y’know? I just wanted to tell you, so it’s okay.”

He can’t stand it. Can’t stand it when Wooyoung does this. When he tries to make everything okay when it’s obvious, he isn’t, and it’s a hard pill to swallow that _Jongho_ is making Wooyoung do this. Making Wooyoung think again that it’s him and not anything else. Tired of hearing him say ‘it’s okay’ when it isn’t. 

Shaking his head, Jongho brings himself close enough to Wooyoung to be able to see how slightly chapped his lips are. To see how glossy his eyes have become. “No, it’s _not_ okay, Woo. I love you. I’m not trying to comfort you or lie to you. Not tryna make you feel better when this is how I feel about you.” He can see how, despite that, Wooyoung has that infuriating customer-service smile on his face he defaults to when he’s unsure. 

“Wooyoung,” Jongho begins. He thinks about how maybe Yeosang was never worried for him. He was always worried about Wooyoung. “Look, I met with Yeosang today not because of a project but because of, well, you. These feelings didn’t suddenly develop in a day, you know. I think I’ve been loving you since the moment we met, and I just—I needed to tell someone. But now, I can honestly tell you, I love you.” 

Wooyoung trembles in his hold, and in a small voice says. “You’re not fucking with me? You lo—like me too?” It’s full of so much insecurity and doubt, making Jongho curse all the ones before him that made Wooyoung feel like he’s always been at fault. 

“Yes. I love you.” An instant reply comes from Jongho. 

“Stop. Stop saying that.” 

“Never.” His chest is a thousand times lighter now that a great weight has been taken off. The weight of doubt weighs heavy, and Jongho is glad he knows now. “I want to hold your hands because you’re always cold. Want to always hold you in my arms because I hate it when you try to pretend you’re okay. I want to stare at you without worrying about being caught because what, can’t I stare at my boyfriend? I,” Jongho’s voice cracks, his lips dry, and he’s too focused to be embarrassed. 

“Will you be my boyfriend, Wooyoung? If you’ll have me,” 

This time around, the silence is deafening. Jongho holds his breath, examining Wooyoung’s face, looking for a twitch or a furrow to give him something. Anything that points Jongho to the direction he’s feeling. 

“You’re so silly, Jongho,” Wooyoung breaks the tense silence and the words make Jongho deflate, expecting rejection. “I would never say no.” 

Jongho snaps his head up, wide-eyed looking like he’s been caught stealing something precious. “You—is that a yes?” Wooyoung nods his head frantically, captivating Jongho as he watches the moon illuminate his soft strands of hair that bounces along with him. 

Their faces are close enough for Jongho to feel Wooyoung’s breaths. Looking into Wooyoung’s eyes, he’s hypnotized, being pulled in by some force of nature Jongho gladly gives in to. 

“Kiss me,” is whispered against his lips, so he does. He presses his lips against Wooyoung’s, and finally, Jongho feels complete. Is complete. 

He brings his hands up to Wooyoung’s cold cheeks, discovering wet tracks that trails down. His thumbs rubs them away as he deepens their kiss, holding and tilting Wooyoung’s head gently as their lips move together. 

Breaking away to catch his breath, Jongho says against his lips. “Don’t cry, Woo. Don’t cry.” Wooyoung laughs. It’s wet and ugly, but it’s the most genuine noise he’s made all night. And if Jongho cries, then only the moon and the stars and Wooyoung can confirm it.

**Author's Note:**

> hello!
> 
> i know i said i would post my woohwa first but ahhh my previous laptop broke (bc im dumb lol), and i've yet to transfer files from that hard drive to this one TT i wrote this woojong on my flight back home. recently i took a trip to visit some friends that basically live across the country from me so! i'm so happy i was inspired to do so. i finished this wip in some 24 hours if we're including time zone changes which really fuck with me tbh lol.
> 
> i also just really love woojong. they hold a special place in my heart as they were also the first fic (and smut lol) i ever wrote for the ateez fandom. i'm really happy with how this turned out because i've been meaning to write another woojong since forever now.
> 
> ty so much for reading, i really hope you like this fic just as much as i do & i appreciate all of you who has reached the end and read my little a/n ♥♥♥
> 
> i'm always on [twt](https://twitter.com/ooyoungie). talk to me! i'm always available through dms or tweets in general :))


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